


Pride and Freedom

by Sternenstaub, SunshineDragon



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Abandoned Work - Unfinished and Discontinued, Alternate Universe - Slavery, Arlathan, Rebellion, Wolves
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-10-14
Updated: 2016-11-11
Packaged: 2018-08-22 09:50:39
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8281570
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sternenstaub/pseuds/Sternenstaub, https://archiveofourown.org/users/SunshineDragon/pseuds/SunshineDragon
Summary: Solas has just been granted a body some years ago and is already tasked with finding a wayward spirit. Little did he know this would change his live drastically and lead him on his way to become Fen´Harel, the god of rebellion. The freedom spirit Liberty shows him the crimes his creators commit and what a world without slavery and injustice could look like.





	1. Lost

**Author's Note:**

> You always wanted a story with a naive, young and helpless Solas? You wanted him lost and stumble around until he finds his purpose? Look no further, you have found your story!

Solas had been very excited on this day. He had been given a body just some 30 years ago and Mythal was already trusting him with an errant as important as this one. He had been just an incorporeal spirit of pride, around 200 years old when the motherly creator had found a liking to him. She gave him a body and a place to stay. Some of the experiences he had made since then were still strange to him but he trusted his Creator would know what was right and wrong. His current task was to hunt down an Spirit of freedom. The creators wanted to give her a body but it seemed like she misunderstood their intentions and fled rather than talking with them.  
But in this very moment Solas was embarrassed and quite frankly lost. He had never been in this part of the forest before and after a few hours the trees looked all the same to him. He had wound up at the same round stone 3 times already and still did not know how to leave this stupid forest. But he would not ask some spirit for help, he would find a way on his own. Around a big fir tree he suddenly heard a menacing growl and saw some wolves devouring a Halla. Ghilan'nain would be so sad seeing her creature hunted down like some random animal, but they were beautiful beasts with a wildness to them he admired. Suddenly the biggest of the Wolves, a massive white giant with blood dripping from his fangs turned around. He growled only once and the whole pack turned towards Solas, growling and yapping menacingly. Suddenly he knew why even the fast and graceful Halla had no chance to escape them. Those were true hunters.

Solas turned around and started running as fast as he could, hoping the wolves were just trying to chase him away from their prey, not actually trying to devour him as well. He tripped over some roots and fell face first into a clearing. A Spirit seemed to have stayed there. He could only cough "Run, a pack of wolves!" until he tripped once again and blacked out.  
The spirit in question had a feminine form and long robes that fluctuated in the air, her body strong and tall. She watched the pitiful youngster fall and faint to his death apparently, not really getting why he warned a spirit about the wolfs... “They like to bite me... but it's like snapping at air though... because you know... I am a spirit, I've no body!!!” She smiled, waiting for a reaction and then remembered “Oh right he's unconscious.” She simply flew before the pack of wolfs and made her essence burn lightly, emitting a menacing aura and calmed them down... Or at least stop them before they chewed on the stupid youngster too much.  
She took a moment to fluctuate in the air and then sighed, creating some ice magic to wake him up. “This should give you some ... chill down your spine!” she smiled and waited again humming, “Riiight still not up I see... wake up you simpleton! I'm not gonna save you twice!” She slapped him hard enough to wake him up and looked at him.

Solas woke up with a hurting cheek and for some unknown reason a wet tunic. He looked around and saw a blue Spirit floating in front of him, with a start he remembered the wolves and was suddenly very much awake. "What happened? Where are the wolves?" he stuttered, still confused. Most of all about his hurting head. Had he bumped it when he fell down?

Looking around he noticed he was still in the small clearing, the trees rustling over his head but the wolves were nowhere to be seen. What had happened?  
The spirit seeing he was on his feet again simply said using echoes, “... You should go away from here, cub. This forest is no place for someone with a body like you... who happily wag his tail for his master. Only wolfs survives here... not dogs.”

Solas blushed furiously, that Spirit had seen him in a very uncomfortable moment he rather would have missed himself but that was no reason to talk to him like that. "Who are you to command me?" he asked a tad louder than he had intended but this flowy blue spirit just made him inexplicably mad.  
The spirit appeared before him saying with a hiss and an intimidating aura: “I am the one that saved your pathetic body from being the meal of the pack, but I am starting to think I should've let them, since you show so much pride. Leave, cub.“

Solas was shaken by the sudden intense reaction the spirit had. He had not said anything hurtful and did not know why she was still hurtling insults his way. What was wrong with that one? "I certainly should thank you for that. Since you already guessed it in a way I may as well give you my name. I am Solas." he said with a light bow. Maybe being polite would calm that Spirit down and then he could ask her for a way out of this cursed forest.  
The spirit hummed: “I am Liberty. Why are you in the forest, Solas? Surely you'll not think to capture the freedom spirit that roams this forest? Servants and even "gods" tried to, all without success.”

He took a deep breath after hearing this information. This was the great and gentle spirit he had been supposed to hunt down? Mythal had told him the Evanuris looked for a gentle and wise spirit that had been formed from the shard of a well known and loved spirit that had sadly died shortly before Solas own birth. He did not quite know what to answer to that question. He opted for a polite response "I was sent not to capture but to talk."  
She giggled and said, “Well you'll notice that your words will... pass right through me. Because you know... I don't have a body!” She grinned, waiting for a reaction and flew through in the air, keeping a watch on him with interest but also annoyance because he was still there.

Solas rolled his eyes but still had to snigger at the terrible pun. It had been some time since he had met a spirit with a sense of humor that had not been annoying and hyper all the time and he disliked those traits. With a soft laugh he said "So I see, but I certainly hope you will not get blown away with that body of air that not even my politeness can permeate. Would you be willing to hear me out about my assignment? I can assure you, the pup could not harm you, even if he tried." he smirked.  
Liberty took a long breath with her non existing lungs and sighed hard, she had practiced so hard to do that, “You annoy me. And I am not interested in being caged like a pretty bird into a body and to the be under the ruled of a master!” She flew forward ignoring the trees and clarified once again, “Go home, cub.”

"They want to honour you, not imprison you! And I am not a cub!" he yelled after the already vanishing spirit. But suddenly he remembered he was lost. "Please don´t go, I don´t know how to get out of this forest again. Surely even your steamy temperament will not allow to let me disintegrate in this cursed forest?"  
She reappeared near him, sighing hard, “Fine fine... I'll show the way out... only because you're disturbing the silence of the forest. Also.. how old are you... in total?- she gestured to his body and then his heart “,because anything under 2000 is a cub for me.”

"And you are going to help me, because I laugh over your terrible puns." Solas told the grumpy spirit with a smirk. "I am in a body for 30 years and have been 200 years a Spirit before that. But even if I may seem young to you, could you please stop calling me cub? I am not an animal." he frowned at her.  
She smiled and then giggled turning around and humming. “Rebelling... that's a good sign... at least you're not tucked in in your false freedom so much you stopped stepping up for yourself...” She ignored whatever he responded to that and quickly hummed “This way.”

Solas clumsily got up, still dizzy and trotted after the big mouthed Spirit. They met the stupid round stone again, he had always met several times once he had lost his way. "Are you sure this is the right way? I feel like I have been here a few times already." He was slightly scared Liberty might lead him even deeper into the forest since she was so annoyed with him.  
The Spirit giggled and hummed “This forest is made to make you lose your sense of orientation, but for a spirit it's impossible to lose my head over this... after all... don't have a skull!!” she smiled happily and waited for the reaction. Then she hummed at the round statue leaving a mark on it just to be sure “Look here, I'll prove it to you.”

Solas simply had to chuckle. This was the grand Spirit he had been supposed to find? She was acting not a day older than he was. "I should have noticed this forest was enchanted. But really, when you are already more than 1000 years old, could you not have found some time to learn better puns? Or do they go right through your head?" he chuckled, curious whether she would find him funny as well.  
She answered with a cold voice. “When you're hunted down by all those insensible damned elvhen "gods" who only want you to use and abuse your being, you tend to not have the time to go in towns and learn about better puns, which is impossible by the way, my puns are the best terrible puns around!” She smiled and after a turn suddenly they were out of the forest. “For your information. I set all those stones to look the same a few years back. The rest was the forest´s help.” She smiled and hummed, “Don't come back.”  
Solas did not quite know what to say to that that simple trick she had pulled off and simply started laughing out loud. He had been lead astray by such a simple trick. "You may be really smart." he told her. "And I will go if you wish me to, but I would first ask to spend tonight at your camp. It is already quite late and you don't want the cub to be almost eaten again, do you?" He wanted to talk with this strange spirit. What had happened for her to think the Evanuris were hunting her?  
She sighed and looked away for a moment, then she seemed to think about it before sighing harder, shaking her head, “Fine! FINE!!! but only because I know for sure you'll get eaten if I let you go alone!” She sighed again like a old woman and prepared a camp with magic, ”Here you can rest here for the night.”

Solas was glad to stay, he was still afraid of the forest if he told the truth but of course he would never say that out loud. "I wanted to ask you, what happened between you and the Evanuris? Why are you running from them?" he cocked his head inquiringly.  
Her eyes became distant, and her form more solid and detailed, Solas suddenly saw a strong woman, maybe a warrior, but her dress wasn't that of a warrior, more of a priestess or a maiden, her long dark blue hair was fluctuating like underwater and her eyes were shining like mirrors before the moon. “They told you a lot of lies to come and capture me... I bet that Andruil said "good hunt" to you and the other Evanuris were really... pressing about my "persuasion".” She disappeared and reappeared near him, humming, "She misunderstood us" they told you, "We want to help her" Mythal whispered looking away, not believing her own lies. In her heart she wants you to fail, for my sake or your own I do not know.” She whispered “I am freedom, the reborn form of a strong and powerful spirit, whose name made the Evanuris tremble in their safe heaven. I was someone they slaughtered merciless in their greed for more power. And now they know I still have what they had wanted the first time. They seek to imprison me into a body they could easily dominate and control.”

Solas was still confused. "Why should the Evanuris lie to me about you? And why do they see you as an enemy?" He knew Mythal and she HAD looked away when telling him about liberty, but that must have been coincidence. Or maybe the Spirit had some kind of power of visions? The Evanuris had only told him that a strong spirit was falsely running away and thus endangering herself because she believed they wanted to capture her while they actually just wanted her council. Solas told Liberty just that. Asking her why she thought she could not simply talk with them? She was a highly regarded spirit, they would grant her an audience and honour her wishes surely.  
She looked at him and before he could make another question, reading his mind she said, “Because they are slavers hungry for power, cub! Think harder, the truth is before your eyes and you refuse to see it!” Liberty looked into his eyes and hummed, “People are not born to bear a mark of ownership like animals and spirits just as well. Ha, actually no living creature is born for that!”

He was surprised by her sudden intensity and how she could answer before he could even voice his question. She must have some sort of foreknowledge! He knew it! "Of course there are slaves, how else would we flourish? But while they may not be free, they do not seem to mind their fate." Solas told her. He was still new to this life and had been confused about the different ranks of elvhen as well in the beginning but Mythal had explained to him, that without slaves their economy would go down and all the elvhen would perish. Without them to work on the field and other menial tasks, how could they ever grow? He had found logic in that.  
She grabbed his chin and cheeks with a hand, her touch sent sparkles of energy and electricity into his whole body, making him jolt hard as she hissed, “Shut your mouth if you don't even know the pain they go through, living as slaves, your life less worth that an insect's. When you can't sleep or rest when you're tired because of your master desire, barely fed, beaten up everyday for fun, killed if they run away. Slaves like you that wag happily their tail to their masters with the illusion to be free are the worst.”

Solas was suddenly frightened and remembered the Spirit he was conversing with was a very old and powerful one. And to tell the truth in his 30 years as elvhen he never thought about the hardships of the little people. "But why do they not say something? Revolt against this system, if they are unhappy about it?" he stubbornly answered. There were so many more slaves than masters, why did they not just revolt if live was so bad, surely they would win?  
Liberty stared right into his eyes, sighing hard, judging him like a little baby who knew nothing of the world. “You really are like a newborn child. Fine. I'll educate you.” She lifted her hand and magical chains started to crawl around his body tying him up and stopping him from moving. “You sure know about the vallaslin, yes? They're the same like chains, only permanently on your skin... and...see”, she moved the chains moving Solas' body like it was a puppet. “My would you look at that. You seems like a puppet, how do you feel? Helpless?”

Solas panicked, suddenly being trapped by a hostile spirit. "What are you doing? Why are you chaining me?" he could not think straight and just wanted to get away. He wished so very much he had already mastered shapeshifting in that very moment but alas he never got more than his ears and teeth to change into anything and that would be not help right now. The chains even prevented him from any other use of magic. His panic grew more with every second until he broke out in tears. He hated himself for showing weakness so easily. "Please release me." he sobbed, suddenly feeling very much like the cub Liberty always called him.  
She let him go looking at him and said, “Do you understand now? You said exactly the same things as everyone who becomes a slave. Why are you chaining me? What are you doing? Please... release me.” She looked at him and sat on a tree saying, “Sadly you have other invisible chains on you.” She looked at him and smiled humming, “You can never move without asking permission, you are sent on strange mission but in a way monitored... and you're happy about it. Poor Solas... poor young pride... So happy to be the evanuris' dog.”

Solas blushed furiously. Never would he have thought he would break down this easily. He still trembled from the panic attack the chains had awoken and his heart was beating a mile a minute. "But what were you telling me about the vallaslin? They are to honour the Evanuris everyone is serving, why are they chains?"  
She laughed hard “So little you know about the chains of slaves. Or guardians. The vallaslin are blood writing made with magic, a special ink and some drops of the Evanuris´ blood, they serve as strings to control your will, limbs and body. If the Evanuris you are chained to wants, they can command your heart to stop. That's why no one rebels.” she smiled and sat on a branch with glowing eyes when the wolves started to show all around Solas. She hummed, “Your prideful and perfect Evanuris... Tell me... what's so perfect about them? Andruil kills hundred of slaves for the pleasure of her own hunt. Elgar'nan kills everyone who pisses him off, the mother of halla... ah what's called that newborn baby?.... bah... no matter. She likes to create abomination in her little lab and destroys any race of animal that doesn't suit her taste... tell me how can you see them as something to adore? To honor? I see nothing but monsters.”  
Liberty was speaking about his parents there, did she not see that? Solas was appalled. Mythal was married with Elgar´nan, surely he must have a nice side under his vicious demeanour as well. And Ghil´hanain was creating new beautiful creatures, like the Halla the wolves had fed on. But Solas also felt the truth in the words Liberty spoke. Even the wolves, feared by the Evanuris for their unpredictable behaviour and because they valued their pack over everything else, even their master. Was that why they had been hunted so many times by Andruil? Was the goddess of the hunt actually hunting slaves and not just mourning casualties while hunting monstrous beings endangering the elvhen? What he had learned about the elvhen, about the very race he now belonged to, could not all have been a lie, could it? Was his very existence based upon falsehood?  
Liberty hummed lightly, “I see that you have it in you... the little spark ... do you feel it in your heart? The will to be free? To accept freedom? But maybe you should go and see for yourself before that. Go to one of Andruil's hunting grounds and say the words "I wanna hunt the branced hallas" See what show will that apparently innocent phrase will gave to you.”

Solas had always been wary of the huntress. He had never understood why she was so intent on hunting innocent creatures. Big monsters endangering whole villages he understood but not why some creatures had to be awakened from a lifeless form just for her to hunt them down again. "I fear I am nowhere skilled enough to participate in one of her hunts. They would sent me away right away, I am still but a mere fledgling in elvhen standards of hunt and stealth." Solas sighed.  
Liberty looked at him and suddenly her eyes lighted up and she smiled “Then I'll teach you. I'll make you a wolf, cub. A fearsome lonely hunter that will instill fear in your enemies' heart. What do you think?”

Solas had to consider for a moment. Wolves were not highly regarded animals by the pantheon but he had also seen their rare strength and beauty. The more he thought about it, the more he liked the idea. He nodded slowly once. "But please don´t teach me like you just attempted to with the chains. I feel like wolves don´t like to be chained."  
Liberty hummed, “I do not like to teach that way. But I knew you would not have understood in any other way.” She looked “You must learn to be more open minded.” She smiled and then sighed letting the wolves come near and pour around her “They should weight a ton on me... but they don't! because I'm immaterial and they like the sensation to have energies like a pillar... in a sense they're using me to warm themselves!!!!” she smiled and told him with sudden enthusiasm but still reassuring him, “They'll not teach you... for now, they are afraid I'll be mad.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Learning the wolfish ways.

Solas was surrounded by the same big wolves that had just hunted him a few hours ago. He still felt not quite safe in the midst of them but they seemed calm now.   
No sound could be heard from them but they did not seem aggressive, their ears stood straight and they panted evenly. "Why would you be mad at the wolves for teaching me?" he asked confused. Wasn´t shapeshifting first and foremost about learning about the creatures´ body? And who could better show him what a wolf could do than the enormous pack leader right in front of him?  
Liberty took a moment, giggled and said “Oh ... well …” thinking for a moment she looked down and hummed passing her hands on the wolf and "petting" them “Their teaching is a bit violent. But you can learn from them by observing, I assure you they'll not hurt you.” Liberty calmed down and her shape shifted again becoming once again a woman in a long mantle and hood. “Sleep. From tomorrow onwards it'll be rough.”

 

Solas went to sleep, still not comfortable around the wolves and the spirit changing her mood so frequently but the day had been straining and his body simply could not keep up any longer. He fell into a long, dreamless sleep. 

 

And woke up to something wet on his cheek. After he opened his eyes he saw the enormous black wolf standing right over his head, dripping saliva on him, fangs very much visible. In this very moment he did not know whether to be scared or appalled. He decided for the second and shoved the surprisingly friendly looking wolf away. "Eww, don't do that." Solas could hear Liberty snicker behind him.

 

She smiled, looking at the wolf first and then at Solas “It seems he has a liking for you, not sure if it's for your flesh or what... but hey! improvement!” she giggled.

 

"I would much prefer his love to be expressed in a less wet way." Solas said, wiping an awful amount of saliva from his cheek and the tips of his auburn hair. Maybe he should find a way to bind it if he were to stay in the woods for longer.

 

The girl smiled and hummed “It'll be some day but it's not likely to happen for now, learn all you can and for sure it'll happen.” She smiled and sighed humming “First of all... survival.”

 

He knew what would come now would not be a stroll in the park. But Solas had agreed to learning how to hunt and he wanted to see for himself if the accusations Liberty was throwing around were true. For that he needed to learn. Survival lessons admits wolves it was. He sighed "Let's go."

 

She smiled and told him while disappearing “Follow the pack. Keep up until the little lake. If you do it without magic then you'll be a step closer to become a real hunter. You may call 3 times for me while in the forest. You'll fail today if you call me a fourth time.”

 

Solas gulped hard and saw the pack getting ready to leave. They would not wait for him and he had never been deep into the woods without a road nearby. If Liberty suddenly decided he was not worth the trouble he would be utterly and truly lost. The big black wolf yipped and the pack started running. Solas had to hurry to keep up with them.   
They ran for a while before he stumbled over the first root, scraping his knee but he got up and followed the pack with new determination.

 

He had seen how weak he was, he would not stay that way.   
They rounded a few of those blasted round stones and after about 30 minutes Solas was panting harder than anytime before. Where those stupid mutts intent on running all the day? Just when he thought he could no longer go on, they suddenly stopped, crouching in the bushes, looking at a buck a few meters away. Was he also supposed to hunt with them? What should he do without magic and weapons?

 

Liberty followed him closely, keeping her aura quiet and her form invisible. It was a challenge of will, endurance and survival. He'll get over it quickly if he started to think like a wolf. He needed to break free of the conception that tied him up to a life of comfort. He needed to adapt quickly to any situation and if he really wanted to learn shapeshifting, he would need to think like a wolf before changing into one.

 

While Solas was debating how to hunt without claws or magic he inadvertently stepped on a dry twig, the resulting knack alarmed the buck and he took off. Suddenly 8 big wolves were glaring at him. He had just ruined their lunch. Solas just hoped they would not settle for him now.   
Solas gulped "Sorry, it won't happen again" he told the pack leader with a hanging head. The big wolf huffed in annoyance and the pack took off running again.  
Great, more running, Solas thought, trying not to get left behind. He deliberated how he could become a better hunter, more wolf-like and while in thought he did not notice the massive tree in front of him and ran straight into it. 

 

He slumped down, holding his bleeding nose. The hurt he could have healed easily but Liberty had said she would stop teaching him, should he use his magic today. Thus he had to call for her for the first time, to ask whether he was allowed to heal himself and to ask her for the wolves to return.

 

She appeared next to him and hummed “That was a really hard hit, if you didn't had that strong body Mythal gave you you would have most likely seriously injured yourself. Focus on the present, observe and for the love of your skull, look ahead when running.” She sighed and healed him herself, lifting him up and pushing him in the direction the pack went. “Survival without magic is essential. It will help a lot in the long run.” She snickered, probably pleased by another bad pun.

 

Solas was still slightly dizzy put trotted away towards the pack. He only hoped he would not hinder a successful hunt once again. He was not sure if the pack leader would not eat him for real then. 

 

Running a lot more careful he soon sighted the pack, they were lying in wait once again, this time a Halla in their sight. Just when he came near enough they started their attack. Solas was unsure whether he could participate in hunting one of the Evanuris' creatures but that decision he had not to fell, the Halla stormed towards him in panic but thwarted around seeing him, running right into the black wolf. Her neck cracked once and the elegant animal was only a corpse anymore.

 

Liberty appeared and hummed “An advice. You'll get to take your part of meat when the alpha will tell you to. Do not approach it before he tells you to.” She smiled and then looked at the Halla ”Creation of Evanuris or not... it's pretty tasty. Nothing is sacred in the nature. If you can kill it, it's fair game. And the Evanuris aren't sacred either. They're not gods nor creators. They are stupidly powerful mages with so many flaws you could fill the sky with stars.”

 

Solas did not eat the meat from the Halla, Elvhen did usually not eat meat, it was deemed unclean and quite frankly he was sure he would get sick from raw meat. 

 

But he did approach the Halla once the black wolf growled towards him and took a piece of it with him and broke the tip of her horn. That would remind him forever of this day.

 

After their meal the pack went towards a cave and Solas saw some wolf puppies milling around, playing with each other, he gave them the meat he was still carrying. A big grey wolf seemed to approve of that, maybe she was their mother. It was still afternoon but the wolves seemed to want to take a break and the pack lay down near the cave. Wolves were mostly active at night after all, Solas should rest while he had the chance. 

 

He woke up curled into the grey wolf and her pups. Was he now really treated like a cub?

 

Liberty suddenly appeared before him, and then hummed “Here.” She showed him the jaw of the first halla he hunted down, she used magic to preserve it eternally and then tied strings of the halla skin to make it like a necklace and used the same preservation magic on them. “A gift to remember this kill.” She smiled into the dark and then went near the pack and sat there letting the black wolf sit "in" her.

 

Solas treated the necklace tenderly, the Halla needed to be respected even in her death. The wolves slowly started waking up, the big grey mama started cleaning her pups with her tongue, not stopping at Solas. He still thought it sticky but had to laugh at the same time. "Am I to call you mamae now?" he asked her and suddenly realised the wolves had cared more for him in those few hours than the evanuris had in the last 30 years. He had thought his solitude normal but suddenly he did not know if he could stand it again.

 

Liberty smiled and disappeared again, silently guiding the pack, she was the responsible one for leading hallas into the forest and she was the protector of that pack. She loved them as family and thanks to them she was free. In a sense they protected her like part of the pack and now Solas was the same.

 

Solas worried while eating breakfast if the Evanuris would start looking for him eventually but he remembered the last one to look for Liberty had been gone for more than 40 years before Andruil sent hunters after him. They found him shivering in a cave, not knowing what he had been supposed to do anymore. Solas did not know what had happened to that man. 

 

Another day started running through the woods. He wondered when he would be able to shapeshift into a wolf. Running would be so much easier and some day he had to eat something again.

 

Liberty kept a watch over him from afar and suddenly asked “Why you're not eating the meat? Why are you not honoring the prey you killed with the pack?” She took a deep breath looking ahead, wanting to hear his answer and maybe not wanting him to starve.

 

It seems Liberty had forgotten he was not a wolf and could not stomach raw flesh and had forbidden from using magic and he had not learned how to make a campfire without it. "You do realise I am neither a wolf nor a spirit? I need to eat, though not as often as the dwarves, but raw meat would make me sick for sure. You are the one who said I'm not allowed to use my magic for some time."

 

She blinked and asked “You don't know how to build a fire?” She looked around and then answered “Neither do I.” She after all never needed it, so why should she learn how to use a fire without magic? “Very well. I'll allow you to use magic to cook for yourself... but only for that!”

 

"As you wish, oh spiritual master" Solas answered glibly, already starting to gather some wood. "Don't forget to tell the wolves my fire won't hurt them, I don't want to scare them more than necessary."

 

Liberty seemed to glance at the pack alpha who acknowledged her with a yip and then sat in her again. “So, i was feeling a bit down lately but i guess you ... lifted my spirit.” She smiled hard and looked at him with expectations.

 

"As long as you don't start flying away I can live with that." Solas grinned. “So, what am I supposed to learn next, now that I don't have to go hungry anymore?”

 

She hummed and said “How about cooking for yourself like a grown up instead of waiting for servants to do it for you? But i guess lighting a fire without setting yourself on fire is also good.”

 

Solas pouted and lit the twigs in front of him easily. He may be a beginner at hunting but he was a decent mage even at his young age. "Yes yes, oh mighty Spirit, I prefer force magic but I do know how to set things aflame." he struck out his tongue at her.

 

Liberty went to him and slapped the back of his head humming “Learn how to contain a fire in a forest then, you force mage.” She sighed and quickly made a circle of earth around it since he was so smart to light the twigs next to dry leaves.

 

With a slight blush Solas contained the fire to the circle she had drawn and started roasting the meat that had been left over. It was not much, he had given most to the pups. They would soon have to hunt again. "I have another question, oh almighty teacher, how am I supposed to help hunting until I learn to become a wolf myself. I have no weapons."

 

Liberty sat on a branch and hummed “You're the one with a body. Get creative. Or learn how to change, it'll come natural when you'll learn more about the pack's ways. The wolf's way it's not something you can learn overnight. Until then. You have a brain, use it.”

 

Well, if she wanted him to use his brain, Solas would. He remembered wolves did not only eat meat but nuts and berries as well.  
He started gathering some grass, braiding himself a little basket and asked grey and her pups if they wanted to come with a nod and a tentative scratch behind her ears and went berry hunting with the excited wolf puppies. 

 

He did not know if he would be more of a babysitter than anything else in that moment, the way grey loomed after them, she did keep an eye on all of them. An hour later he came back with a lot of scratches, two of the wolves in his basket, snout red from berries but he himself had nothing left. 

 

Taking babies with him had not been his best idea. But it seemed doing things for the pack entitled him to some of the game they had hunted while he had been away. The big black huffed and let some fresh meat fall in front of him. After cleaning it meticulously he put it on the fire, just to have two of the pups staring at him with big pleading eyes. He chuckled, "I do have to eat as well, you know? "

 

Liberty whistled a bit and the pups went back to their mother yipping happily “If you keep giving them your meal your body will die. Not that i mind, but your current body is pleasant, take care of it.”  
She took a deep breath and hummed lightly a song, it was like all the forest was singing with her, the wind, the leaves the water... Even the wolves.

 

What was singing for the wolves sounded to Solas like awful howling. This Spirit certainly did not know how to hold a tune. "Don't worry, I won't starve that easily and I think I rather like the babysitter job until I learn how to move through the woods without a sound." he shouted through the tumult.

 

Liberty's eyes roamed the forest and she said “Tomorrow you're observing the pups and the mother to see how she teaches them how to move and hunt. She'll teach you too. DO NOT follow the rabbit.” She smiled and sighed, vanishing for the night

 

So he really would be taught like the cubs. Solas had to smile at that thought. He had grown rather fond of the puppies the last few days. 

 

6 months later an almost invisible elf could be seen strolling through the woods, three half grown wolves at his heels, playing together like they were all siblings, going for their first hunt all alone. 

 

Solas still had not mastered to change entirely into a wolf but he got the canines and claws right, that sufficed for hunting as long as he was not alone. He was looking forward to this experience and felt like a big brother towards his little charges.

 

The spirit flew in the forest making sure no dangers would befall Solas or the pack, she would keep on protecting them freely, living in the blazing forest and tasting the happiness of being free. For once she had faith in those stupid elvhen, seeing a future for Solas... a future for the better if his choices will be good.

 

They came home with a small buck, little brown and grey seemed very smug about their catch, though it had been their blue-grey sister who had actually killed it. Their mother and big black seemed proud enough. Solas felt even more like he had found his place. Maybe he should just stay here with the pack and Liberty for good?

 

Liberty was answering him with echoes, “That's all your choice. You are free to choose your own path, Solas.” She reappeared before him and said “That's what freedom is about. You are the owner of your own choices. No one gets to tell you what to do. And if they do it must be your choice to follow them.” She smiled and petted his head, “This is the freedom I was talking about.”

 

"But right now I am still following your airy self." he told her with a grin. “But I will choose to stay here at least until I learn to change into a wolf myself.” 

 

It took him a few more years but he managed to shift into a wolf as big as the pack leader who had already become grey with age. His wolf form was snow white and since he liked seeing more he had 6 eyes instead of just 2.

 

She giggled looking at him, watching as he sometimes tried seeing if his eyes could move independently... thank god they couldn't. She smiled petting the alpha. Soon a youngster will surpass him and become the new alpha. She smiled and hummed “You're getting old my friend but you're still so fluffy.” She smiled, in the last years Solas became wiser and skilled but he still had a long way to mastery. Another 30 years and he would be fine, the immortality would aid him. “Did you hunt the lunch today Solas?”

 

He huffed, preferring his wolf form most of the time now. He even played with the thought of competing for the new pack leader, without the whole fathering wolf puppies part of course. He cocked his head at Liberty, knowing very well she could read his intent. "What do you think? Of course I hunted."

 

Her form flew over him and sat on his back, it was like hosting air and she wondered “Mmm, very well... you're getting the grip of it! I'm impressed.” She smiled and sighed looking around.

 

"So you think I should take over as leader for my stay?" Solas liked the idea more with every minute and had to admit he had grown stronger than most of the wolves over time, though the former little ones still treated him like a sibling at times.

 

Liberty reprimanded him “That's not your place. You're not a wolf even if you can look and act like one. Let the pack live by their rules. Without them the pack will fall.”

 

Solas huffed, so much for making his own decisions. Well, maybe she had a point, he would live much longer than the wolves, seeing them all die would be hard on him. 

 

A few months later the big black became sick and could not hunt any longer, the pack tried helping him and Solas deliberated whether he could heal him but the wolf was simply old and that was something even magic could not heal.

 

Liberty never left the wolf's site petting him and humming gently, soothing his sickness, waiting for the natural course of events. Her face covered in sadness but also acceptance. She had been in this situations many times already. She knew how it went.

 

The day big black died the whole pack howled for hours, Solas included, mourning the loss of their leader. One after the other nudged his lifeless form lovingly for the last time and then they had to leave this place. Solas was unsure at first if he should incarcerate the body but that was the way of the elvhen, not of the wolves. They left for another part of the woods. Tomorrow would be the contest for the new pack leader.

 

Liberty kept behind, taking his still beautiful black fur coat and then burying the old leader's body in the ground. She used her magic to make sure that the fur became a thick coat and hummed to Solas, “Come here Solas. The old alpha wanted you to have something.” She sighed and presented him the coat of the alpha as she told him, “He said that you look like a naked rat and that he worries you'll die of cold one day. Keep this.”

 

Solas did not know whether to cry or be appalled. He was happy he had been accepted into the pack but it also meant Liberty had skinned his yearlong friend without a second thought like he had been any other animal. "I thank you for your intent but please do not skin my friends again. You would not want someone to keep a glass of your essence with them should you die, now would you?"

 

Liberty hummed “If that will be my choice I've no objection for you to do it. If I can be useful like that in death... then i've no objection. This was the alpha's choice and as the one who saw him born and die I've the duty to fulfill his last wishes.” She smiled and hummed “This is the first and last time i do this to some members of my pack.”

 

Solas felt like he had no choice as to accept the pelt, at least Liberty had treated it with magic so it seemed months old rather than freshly skinned. "I will honour the sacrifice" he said, still sad. "But for now I need some time alone. I will come back in a few weeks, in that time a new pack leader should have been chosen. Does your vision see any dangers near or can I go without worries?"

 

She looked at him and said “I don't see dangers.” She knew he would see some slaves and the way they'll treat them would give him a fresh experience of the difference between freedom and slavery. Also with luck he would understand that living in that forest for years made his powers incredibly stronger.

 

The big white wolf huffed once more, still in mourning, staying in animal form as not to cry. Solas had never have to see a friend die. Elvhen were immortal and Spirits as well, in his 30 years he had not even yet seen someone go into uthenera. He did not know what to feel, what to do, he just needed to run for a while. The forest had become his home, more than he would have ever thought and he went off to find solitude and peace.

 

Liberty form returned detailed as she sighed flying around the forest slowly, gently humming and letting the forest sing for her, in those three weeks a new alpha emerged, she smiled and petted him hugging him gently to her chest and then sighed. It was another cycle. Another one. One that she saw so many times. It brought her pain every time one died. But she accepted the fleeting life they had


End file.
